Skinner House Books will be publishing a collection of new Unitarian Universalist rituals. As part of their work to make an ethical anthology, Skinner House is establishing an open comment period until April 15.  To learn more about the reasons for this and the invitation to comment, use the link embedded in this letter from Skinner House Books:

Invitation to comment period:

Dear EqUUal Access Community,

Subject: Open comment period for new collection of rituals from Skinner House Books

Top-Level Summary:

• •       Revs. Allison Palm and Heather Concannon have been working with Skinner House Books on a new collection of rituals.
  •       In consultation with the Skinner House Equity and Accountability panel, we are establishing an open comment period (until April 15) before proceeding further.
  •    We have posted our proposed plans and details for how to give input online.
  •       We are deeply grateful for any input you choose to share with us.

We are writing with regard to a call for submissions that we shared in August 2020 for a new collection of rituals edited by Revs. Allison Palm and Heather Concannon, to be published by Skinner House Books. This project is designed to offer new rituals that commemorate occasions that have not traditionally been ritualized in Unitarian Universalism, with the larger goal of improving the range, quality, and integrity of rituals as they are practiced by UUs in congregations, in homes, online, and in circles of support outside of congregations.

We received a wealth of beautiful rituals and made a very good start. Thanks so much to those of you who have offered your ritual creations.

In the time since we shared that call, we have been learning more about what it means to publish new rituals in our current UU context. We know that the gifts of rituals offered to our UU community, particularly by BIPOC, LTBTQIA+, disabled, and other marginalized peoples are too often taken and used in ways that do not have integrity and do not represent our highest values.

As a result of our learnings, we have decided to slow this project down. We have some tentative ideas about things we can do in the book to encourage respectful, authentic, accountable, and inclusive use of the rituals. But no final decisions have been made yet.

With this message, we are establishing an open comment period until April 15 to invite your input before proceeding further with this project. You can find details about the book and our proposed plans at https://www.uua.org/publications/skinnerhouse/rituals-comment-period, along with information about how to reach us should you choose to share your reactions and suggestions.

We know there are a lot of demands on your time and we are grateful if you choose to carve out some time to share your longings and your expertise with us. We hope to hear from you.

With thanks,

Mary Benard, Publications Director, Skinner House Books, mbenard@uua.org, https://calendly.com/mbenard-1

Revs. Allison Palm ( palmalli@gmail.com ) and Heather Concannon ( hconcannon@uua.org ), book editors

in consultation with the Skinner House Equity and Accountability Panel: Julica Hermann de la Fuente, Alex Kapitan, Rayla D. Mattson, Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen, Rev. Sunshine Wolfe

UPLIFT: Uplifting the LGBTQ+ Experience Within Unitarian Universalism and Beyond published a newsletter for this year’s Day of Mourning. It includes new reflections from disabled UUs Jessi Sadaka, Heather Petit, and the Reverend Molly Brewer, and from UUA Co-Moderator the Reverend Meg Riley, with an introduction by the Reverend Suzanne Fast.  With newly updated graphics from Meredith Plummer and Alison Carville.  Also includes links to anti-filicide and anti-ableism resources beyond Unitarian Universalism.

The graphics in the UPLIFT newsletter are part of a series of newly updated Day of Mourning images suitable for use on social media from Meredith Plummer and Alison Carville.  The full suite of images are free to share.

Congratulations, Rowan!

Rowan Van Ness’s sermon, Intersections & Interdependence, has been selected as the winner of the 2021 Carolyn Cartland Sermon Contest!

The sermon will be honored as part of the EqUUal Access Celebration on June 17.  All are welcome. You can read the sermon and find out more about Rowan on our Sermons page under the Resources tab.

Information for submitting a sermon for consideration for the 2022 Sermon Contest is available now!

Dear Ones, here are links  to PDF and Word versions of your EqUUal Access and AIM Fall News.

Enjoy!

EqUUal Access News Fall 2020  (PDF)

FALL News 2020 EqUUal Access (Word)

September 22, 2020

We’re pleased to announce that Shelly Rohe has been hired to be the new AIM Administrator, who will be taking over from our beloved administrator Rev. Helen McFadyen.  Shelly will start working in December and Helen will be training Shelly during the month of December.

Shelly grew up Lutheran, a minister’s granddaughter, full of questions.  It was not until she came to Unitarian Universalism six years ago that she found religious peace and a spiritual home.   She became active with the Disabilities Task Group, now The AIM Team, at the First UU Church of Rochester, MN five years ago and went through the credentialing process to be an AIM Certified Congregation.  She became a co-chair of the committee until moving to Los Angeles, California earlier this year.  She is proud of the work the committee and congregation have done and continue to do.

Shelly has been a long-time advocate for people with disabilities. In high school, she worked with elementary students with learning disorders and mental health concerns.  She graduated from college with a degree in psychology already working with people with developmental disabilities; learning and growing in various positions for approximately 10 years.  She found out in 2006 that she had brain tumors and in 2013, after having one in her brainstem removed, she discovered another side of disability.  She has seen disability from all angels—professional to lived experience and believe disability to be part of the fabric of life. While she believes in all Seven Principles, she pays particular attention to the 7^th– Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

In addition to project management skills, she has attended several marketing seminars gaining social media marketing, eNewsletter, and graphic and website design skills and has worked on advertising for ABILITY Magazine.  She has volunteered for a number of disability-related organizations.  With her experiences and skillset, she is uniquely qualified for the AIM Administrator position.   She now brings her enthusiasm, energy, experience, and skills to AIM.

CONTACT AIM ADMINISTRATOR:

E-mail:  aim@uua.org

We are delighted to introduce Elizabeth Foster, who is doing a part-time student ministerial assignment with EqUUal Access this year.  You may remember Elizabeth as our 2020 Sermon Contest Winner.  Welcome, Elizabeth!

Hi, I’m Elizabeth Foster and I’m excited to be the new EqUUal Access Student Minister. I’m a second-year M.Div. student at Boston University, and I also hold an M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. I’m originally from Chicago, and I spent several years in Philadelphia working with community nonprofits serving children and teens. I also coordinated religious education programs for the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, and later directed religious education programs at UU congregations in Boston. During my first year of seminary, I founded the BU Cross-Disability Club to provide a supportive space for disabled students on campus and to challenge ableism in our spiritual communities.

During the pandemic, I’ve found joy in experimenting with new recipes, taking walks, playing music, and spending time with my adorable tortoiseshell cat, Jade. In more normal times, I enjoy contra dancing and help organize Boston Does Broadway, a series of community singalongs benefiting local charities. I also sit on the Executive Board of the Riders Transit Access Group for Boston’s MBTA.

I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you this year, and to working with you to shape our shared vision of EqUUal Access and disability justice within the UUA and our larger communities.

The links for this week’s online connections for disabled UUs published on Monday had issues and have been replaced. The links on the Online Connections page have been updated. Please, use these corrected links to access the Oasis or Craft & Chat this week.

The corrected links are as follows:

Oasis (Thursday 8pm Eastern/ 7pm Central/ 6pm Mountain/ 5pm Pacific)

Craft & Chat (Friday 1pm Eastern/ Noon Central/ 11am Mountain/ 10am Pacific)

See all that we and our affiliated programs have to offer at UUA’s first virtual General Assembly – GA 2020.

Anytime

• Poster – UU Mental Health Network. The UU Mental Health Network, a related organization of the UUA, promotes inclusion of people affected by mental health issues in the life and work of our congregations and in the society at large. Find this poster in the “Poster Fair” section of the GA portal.
• On Demand Video Workshop – Sacred Mental Health Matters. Welcoming is integral to UUism but can be challenging in the presence of those with mental health problems. This session will explore the most important elements found by a sample of UU congregations in meeting this challenge through mental health ministry and advocacy based on belief in the Beloved Community. Rev. Barbara Meyers is the author of Held: Showing Up for Each Other’s Mental Health. Find this workshop in the “On-Demand Library” of the GA Portal.

Wednesday

• 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm ET – Disability Caucus. Join the Disability Caucus to review upcoming business sessions, explore engaging this business as disabled UUs, and provide mutual support for processing and participating in the business of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EACaucus

Thursday

• 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm ET – Disability Caucus. Join the Disability Caucus to review upcoming business sessions, explore engaging this business as disabled UUs, and provide mutual support for processing and participating in the business of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EACaucus
• 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm ET – EqUUal Access Virtual Drop-In. This is our virtual booth space. We can use Zoom breakout rooms to create disabled UU community, talk about the Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Program, or for needs as they arise. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EADropIn

Friday

• 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm ET – Disability Caucus. Join the Disability Caucus to review upcoming business sessions, explore engaging this business as disabled UUs, and provide mutual support for processing and participating in the business of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EACaucus
• 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm ET – EqUUal Access Virtual Drop-In.  This is our virtual booth space. We can use Zoom breakout rooms to create disabled UU community, talk about the Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Program, or for needs as they arise. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EADropIn

Saturday

• 10:00 am to 11:30 pm ET – Dismantling Ableism Workshop. Ableism is everywhere, from sub-minimum wages to inaccessible buildings to inspiration porn. Rooted in our principles, and inspired by the first wave of disability activists, we are ready to identify and respond to ableism in our everyday lives. You can be too. Join us to learn how. Find this simulive workshop in the “Workshop” section of the GA Portal.
• 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm ET – Disability Caucus. Join the Disability Caucus to review upcoming business sessions, explore engaging this business as disabled UUs, and provide mutual support for processing and participating in the business of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EACaucus
• 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm ET – EqUUal Access Virtual Drop-In.  This is our virtual booth space. We can use Zoom breakout rooms to create disabled UU community, talk about the Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry Program, or for needs as they arise. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EADropIn
• 5:15 pm to 5:45 pm ET – Disability Caucus Debrief and Action Planning. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EACaucus
• 10:00 pm to 11:00 pm ET – EqUUal Access Party for disabled UUs, our families, friends, and allies. Come to share your General Assembly experiences, check in with friends, find disabled UU community, and enjoy fellowship. Join us on zoom, here: https://tinyurl.com/EAPartyGA

The Rev. Helen McFadyen will be leaving her job as AIM Administrative Director at the end of 2020.  We are in search for another administrator for the AIM program starting in December.  The job description for this position, and how to apply can be found here: Administrator job description – AIM Program 2020.

All applications must be received by August 31 for consideration. Applicants will be contacted with details regarding interviews during the first week of September.

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth Foster’s sermon, When God Closes a Window, He Opens a Skylight, has been selected as the winner of the 2020 EqUUal Access Sermon Contest!

The sermon will be honored as part of the EqUUal Access Celebration on June 18.  All are welcome. You can read the sermon and find out more about Elizabeth on our Sermons page under the Resources tab.

Information for submitting a sermon for consideration for the 2021 Sermon Contest is available now!